In the past a number of folding game boards have been marketed, these being configured such that the game board can be stored more conveniently than would be possible if its size could not be reduced. In some instances, the board has been made of relatively stiff material, with certain portions hinged together as will readily permit folding of the board when the game has been completed.
A different type of folding board is one made of comparatively soft material, as will permit it to be either folded or rolled into a smaller package. One example of such a board is the Lanice U.S. Pat. No. 2,667,353 entitled "Chess Game Device". That patentee provides a substantially square board made of "textile fabric", suede, or other soft pliable material. This patentee paints or otherwise places a suitable number of squares on the board, typically of alternating colors, as will permit games such as chess, checkers and the like to be played. He provides a zipper around the perimeter of the board so that after the game is over, the board can be zipped closed, and then rolled up.
Although this type of folding board might be desirable for such games when played by an older age group, I have found that the younger set do not like an extremely soft playing surface, and would far prefer a playing surface normally maintained in a taut condition, so that certain dice games, for example, can be played thereon.
In exploring the use of a circular game boards, I have become aware of patents having issued upon certain flying disc games, such as represented by the Brown U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,473 and the Newsome U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,533. Both of these flying toys are designed to be thrown by the hand so that they will fly or glide for a certain distance, perhaps to be caught by a second player. Devices of these latter two types are advantageous over the conventional "Frisbee" device made of hard plastic, in that they are foldable into a small, compact unit, and they are less likely to cause damage should the device strike a person, a window pane or the like.
However, none of the foregoing devices was suitable insofar as providing a taut surface upon which certain games can be played, and it was as a result of trying to improve upon these and other prior art devices that the present invention was evolved.